Askern Explained

Country:England
Coordinates:53.6167°N -1.15°W
Official Name:Askern
Population:5,570
Population Ref:(2011 census)
Metropolitan Borough:City of Doncaster
Civil Parish:Askern
Region:Yorkshire and the Humber
Metropolitan County:South Yorkshire
Post Town:DONCASTER
Postcode District:DN6
Postcode Area:DN
Dial Code:01302
Os Grid Reference:SE5513
Constituency Westminster:Doncaster North
Static Image Name:AskernSpaPool(DavidPickersgill)Mar2008.jpg
Static Image Caption:Askern Spa Pool
Area Total Sq Mi:1.33
Type:Town and civil parish

Askern is a town and civil parish within the City of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is on the A19 road between Doncaster and Selby. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it had a population of 5,570 at the 2011 Census. Askern was also known in for its Greyhound Stadium, which closed in 2022.

History

The town's name derives from the Old English askr-ærn meaning 'building made of ash' or 'building surrounded by ash trees'.[1] Historically in the parish of Campsall, the town lies south of Pontefract, and north of Doncaster. Up until the middle of the 19th century, the town was in the wapentake of Osgoldcross in the West Riding of Yorkshire.[2]

The history of Askern can be traced back to the reign of Edward III. The people of Norton complained to the Sheriff of Osgoldcross that the people of Askern had failed to keep part of Askern Pool in a clean state. As a result, the King's highway had been "overflowed and drowned so that neither horse nor foot passengers could use it".

The parish church of St Peter's dates back to 1852.[3]

Coal mining

Then in the early years of the 20th century the quest for coal identified a good seam of coal near Askern. It was decided to access the coal from a mine built above the village, in 1911. As the mine opened the new houses were built for the workers and their families in the village.[4] The pit was closed in 1991 due to a low in the price of coal, and the surface buildings were demolished in 1993.[5] [6]

Railway

Askern is on the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway line between Doncaster and Wakefield Kirkgate, though Askern railway station closed in 1947.[7] [8] The line is used mainly by goods services, as well as the four-times daily Grand Central passenger services from Bradford Interchange to London King's Cross.[9] There have been proposals to re-open Askern railway station to passenger trains.[10]

Bus services

Askern is served by bus service 51 to Doncaster, Carcroft, Skellow and Norton.[11] There are also two school bus services from the town.

See also

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Key to English Place-names. kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. 6 August 2021. 15 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200615062617/http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Yorkshire+WR/Askern. live.
  2. Book: Smith . Albert Hugh . The place-names of the West Riding of Yorkshire II: Osgoldcross and Agbrigg Wapentakes . 1986. 1961 . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge . 44. 615109017.
  3. Book: Pevsner . Nikolaus . Yorkshire: the West Riding . 2003. 1959 . Yale University Press . New Haven . 0-300-09662-3 . 85.
  4. News: Nostalgia on Tuesday: Village of change . 10 July 2023 . The Yorkshire Post . 24 July 2018.
  5. Web site: Askern Main Colliery . nmrs.org.uk . 10 July 2023.
  6. News: Whetstone . David . Exhibition pays tribute to long-gone mining community . The Newcastle Journal . 5 April 2022 . 16. 0307-3645.
  7. Book: Body . Geoffrey . Railways of the Eastern Region . 1985 . Patrick Stephens . Wellingborough . 0850597129 . 154.
  8. Book: Burgess . Neil . The lost railways of Yorkshire's West Riding: the central section Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield . 2014 . Stenlake Publishing . Catrine . 9781840336573 . 54.
  9. News: Waugh . Rob . Plans to re-open Don Valley Line and Askern Line in Yorkshire and restore passenger trains . 10 July 2023 . The Yorkshire Post . 30 November 2022.
  10. News: Campaign to restore rail station is on track . The Yorkshire Post . 21 January 2023 . 21. 0963-1496.
  11. Web site: 51 - Doncaster - Norton . 2023-01-16 . bustimes.org . en-GB.